Jeremiah 3 8

Jeremiah 3:8 kjv

And I saw, when for all the causes whereby backsliding Israel committed adultery I had put her away, and given her a bill of divorce; yet her treacherous sister Judah feared not, but went and played the harlot also.

Jeremiah 3:8 nkjv

Then I saw that for all the causes for which backsliding Israel had committed adultery, I had put her away and given her a certificate of divorce; yet her treacherous sister Judah did not fear, but went and played the harlot also.

Jeremiah 3:8 niv

I gave faithless Israel her certificate of divorce and sent her away because of all her adulteries. Yet I saw that her unfaithful sister Judah had no fear; she also went out and committed adultery.

Jeremiah 3:8 esv

She saw that for all the adulteries of that faithless one, Israel, I had sent her away with a decree of divorce. Yet her treacherous sister Judah did not fear, but she too went and played the whore.

Jeremiah 3:8 nlt

She saw that I divorced faithless Israel because of her adultery. But that treacherous sister Judah had no fear, and now she, too, has left me and given herself to prostitution.

Jeremiah 3 verses

Jeremiah 3 8 Meaning

The Lord declares that He gave Judah a writ of divorce, casting them out due to their persistent adultery, their repeated unfaithfulness, and their forsaking of Him.

Jeremiah 3 8 Context

This verse appears in Jeremiah chapter 3, a critical juncture where the prophet is delivering a strong message of judgment and a subsequent call to repentance to Judah. God, through Jeremiah, addresses Judah as an unfaithful wife who has repeatedly committed adultery. The preceding verses detail how Judah has defiled the land and indulged in widespread idolatry, much like her northern sister, Israel, who had already been taken into exile by the Assyrians. Jeremiah 3:6-7 explicitly states Israel’s unfaithfulness, setting the stage for the direct accusation against Judah. This verse is a solemn declaration of God's action due to their pervasive sin.

Jeremiah 3 8 Word Analysis

• "And" (וְ - wə): A common conjunctive, linking the action to the preceding descriptions of unfaithfulness.

• "when" (כִּי - kî): In this context, it introduces a reason or a cause for the following statement. It signifies "because" or "since."

• "I" (אֲנִי - ʼănî): Emphatic pronoun for "I," highlighting God as the one performing the action.

• "put her away" (שָׁלַח - shālăḥ): Means to send away, to divorce, to dismiss. It signifies a formal act of separation. In the context of marriage, it points to the end of the covenantal relationship.

• "and" (וְ - wə): Again, a conjunction connecting the two actions.

• "gave her" (נָתַן - nāṯan): To give, to bestow. Here, it refers to the formal giving of the legal document.

• "a bill" (סֵפֶר - sēp̄er): A book, a writing, a scroll, a document. In this specific context, it refers to the legal "bill of divorcement."

• "of divorcement" (קְּרִיטֻּת - qĕrîṭūṯ): A unique word derived from qāraṭ (to cut off), meaning a certificate of divorce. This was a legal document prescribed in the Law for a man to divorce his wife. (Deuteronomy 24:1-4)

• "because" (כִּי - kî): Reiterates the reason for the divorce, emphasizing the cause—their unfaithfulness.

• "she" (הִיא - hîʼ): Pronoun referring back to the unfaithful Judah.

• "is" (in the original Hebrew, the verb "to be" is often implied in such constructions.)

• "an adulterous" (מְנָאָפֶת - mĕnāʼep̱eṯ): The feminine participle of the verb nāʼap̱ (to commit adultery). It directly accuses Judah of adultery, which in prophetic language refers to spiritual unfaithfulness to God through idolatry and disobedience.

• Group analysis: "When I put her away and gave her a bill of divorcement..." This phrase powerfully illustrates God's action of terminating the covenant relationship with Judah. It frames their covenant as a marital bond that has been irrevocably broken by Judah's actions. The formal "bill of divorcement" underscores the legal and definitive nature of God's judgment.

• Group analysis: "...because she is an adulterous wife." This clause provides the undeniable justification for God's decree of divorce. The term "adulterous" directly addresses their pervasive spiritual infidelity—turning to other gods and breaking their covenant commitment to the one true God.

Jeremiah 3 8 Bonus Section

This verse encapsulates the covenantal framework of the Old Testament. God's relationship with Israel was often portrayed using the metaphor of marriage. Judah, by engaging in idolatry and other sins, treated this divine marriage like a cheap, disposable union, necessitating a formal dissolution. The concept of a "bill of divorcement" highlights God's adherence to the principles of justice and covenant faithfulness, even in judgment. It underscores that His patience, though immense, is not infinite when met with continuous betrayal. The pain of this divorce for God is echoed in later verses like Jeremiah 3:19, "But I said, 'How shall I put you among the children...?'" revealing God's enduring love and the tragedy of Israel's rejection of Him. This spiritual adultery finds a parallel in the New Testament's descriptions of believers falling away or in the condemnation of spiritual unfaithfulness.

Jeremiah 3 8 Commentary

The verse is a stark pronouncement of God’s judgment upon Judah for her persistent spiritual adultery. God, like a wronged husband, declares the cessation of the marital covenant, symbolized by the issuing of a bill of divorcement. This action is not arbitrary but a righteous response to Judah's deep-seated unfaithfulness, her turning away from Him for idols. The prophetic use of marriage signifies the sacred covenant between God and His people. Judah's manifold sins—idolatry, social injustice, and disobedience—are the grounds for this divine divorce, illustrating the serious consequences of breaking the covenant relationship. The legal term "bill of divorcement" emphasizes the finality and legality of God's decision to withdraw His favor and protection.